chicago GEographies
the geographies of chicago are intricate, contested, and always shifting. they consist of various definitions, understandings, and lived realities that are both subjectively and objectively defined by residents, real estate companies, people outside of the city, and the city itself. the lived realities of these geographies also differ based on racialized identity due to the extreme racial and class based segregation that is embedded in the fabric of the city. although chicago was founded by jean baptiste pointe dusable, a Black man of french hatian descent, Black residents in the city have lived in and moved through a city that has brought significant sociopolitical, cultural, and geographical struggle, economic disenfranchisement, tremendous anguish and pain, and ongoing death as a result of their racialized positioning. Black life in chicago is also full of radiant jubilation, cultural and musical innovation, triumphant history, togetherness, impenetrable love, and enormous laughter that is a joy to behold. we document these realities through images, music, and sounds that reflect the multifaceted, infinite, and captivating contours of Black chicagoland.
as our project expands, we will add more information specifically about the Black geographies of the city-region and its histories and current conditions. Black chicago life is often reduced to the south side based on particular neighborhoods and community areas that ignore the depths of the south side, other sides of town, the suburbs, villages, and towns that make up the chicago metropolitan area. our project highlights these places and a more expansive examination of the south side and the Black chicagoans we find in them to construct a more accurate reflection of Black chicagoness in our city-region. for now, we have compiled a list that offers a sense of the spatial organization of the city as a primer for understanding the geography in our work.
community areas
chicago is divided into 77 community areas designed by the social science research committee at the university of chicago in 1920. these boundaries remain static in order to gather data about the city that can be analyzed across time. five criteria to denote community area boundaries include:
- settlement, growth, and history of the area
- local identification with the area
- local trade area
- distribution of membership of local institutions
- natural and artificial barriers
chicago was originally broken down by 75 community areas (935 census tracts). however, a 76th community area (o'hare) formed when chicago annexed o’hare International airport in the 1950s. in 1980, the community area of edgewater separated from uptown creating the 77th community area. most chicagoans do not recognize community areas as the places in which they live and many are unaware that they exist. click here to access an interactive community area map.
photo credit: wbez
neighborhoods
chicago is known as the “the city of neighborhoods” due to the large number of neighborhoods throughout the city. each neighborhood has unique, identifiable characteristics and most chicagoans recognize neighborhoods as the places in which they live, work, and socialize. neighborhoods are located within community areas and some even share the same name of the community area that they are located in (e.g. rogers park) while others do not (e.g. bronzeville is a neighborhood within the community areas of grand boulevard and douglas). community areas and neighborhoods are often used interchangeably (unknowingly) by chicagoans, but there are significant differences, including size, boundary, and historical change. also, according to the city of chicago, "city government does not recognize or use chicago neighborhood boundaries for any official purposes."
photo credit: giordanos
"sides of town"
chicago is also made up of various "sides of the town" based on cardinal and intercardinal directions that have identifying markers. the city recognizes three sides of town, including the north, south, and west (represented by the white stripes on the city’s flag). these sides of town, also called regional divisions, are dictated by the chicago river although these boundaries vary according to chicagoans, real estate companies, and people outside of the city (see image).
based on the street numbering system, madison street is the north | south dividing line and state street is the east | west dividing line. the south side (the largest side of town) is defined as the community areas that are south of the main branch of the chicago river. the north side (most densely populated side of town) consists of areas that are north of the main branch of the chicago river. the west side (the smallest side of town) maintains community areas west of the chicago river. the city does not recognize an east side (not to be confused with the east side community area) due to lake michigan, which dominates the city’s most eastern boundary. while there is no east side listed, some chicagoans (including both of us) and real estate companies recognize an east side of town and a distinctive culture connected to it.
photo credit: wikipedia
aldermanic wards
the chicago city council consists of 50 aldermanic wards (electoral districts) represented by alderpersons who are elected every four years. this system has been in place since 1923. to ensure equal representation throughout the city, ward borders are adjusted after every federal census to reflect changes in population (you can find redistricting maps here). some wards consist of many community areas and neighborhoods and have identifiable characteristics linked to the area and the alderpersons who represent them. click this link to access individual maps for each ward.
photo credit: city of chicago: colin boyle | block club chicago